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Investigations and intelligence updates

Issue 16: April 2026

Investigations and intelligence updates

Editor's note

Emeric Bernard-Jones
Emeric Bernard‑Jones

This month we cover four stories worth your attention: the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan following a deadly airstrike on a Kabul rehabilitation centre; the resumption of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and what that means for global trade; the new UK reforms to political financing rules, prompted by findings of persistent foreign interference in British democratic processes; and the evolving threat to UK security posed by the Iranian regime.

We hope you find it an interesting read.

News
View of Kabul, Afghanistan
Pakistan and Afghanistan’s escalating conflict

In March 2026, a Pakistani airstrike struck a large drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, with casualty figures sharply contested. Afghan authorities claimed more than 400 deaths, while the United Nations placed the figure at over 140.

News
maritime ship
Shipping under fire (again)

In March 2026, a renewed series of missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea reinforced what had already been becoming apparent for several months: this is no longer a temporary disruption to global shipping, but the emergence of maritime instability as a persistent feature of a wider regional conflict.

News
a group of tall buildings with cranes
UK political finance reform

In March 2026, the UK government introduced a series of measures aimed at addressing growing risks within the political finance system. The primary measures included among the introduction of a GBP £100,000 annual cap on donations from overseas donors and a ban on all cryptocurrency donations to political parties, both implemented with immediate effect.

News
abstract architecture swirl
Iranian threats to UK security

In a July 2025 report, the UK Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) assessed that the Iranian regime and its affiliates represented a “wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat” to UK security.

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